Published: August 17, 2009 01:02 am      

DUNBAR - Board supports superintendent

Himsel rejected several benefits KCS offered

Serving as board president and spokesperson for the Board of Trustees of Kokomo-Center Township Consolidated School Corp., I, Joe Dunbar, wish to share with our patrons that Mr. Harold Canady’s recently published letter to the editor is one board member’s opinion, and not the opinion of the total board.

The other six members of the Kokomo-Center School Board, as witnessed by our signatures on this document, wish to state that we support the work being done by Mr. Christopher Himsel, our superintendent of schools. In addition, we wish to share several facts concerning the selection of Mr. Himsel as the Kokomo-Center Schools superintendent, and his contract negotiations.

Search timeline

• Mid-February 2008: The board was informed that our previous superintendent was leaving.

• Feb. 29, 2008: The board contacted the leader of the Indiana University Superintendent Selection Team (University Team) concerning preliminary instructions relative to the selection of a new superintendent.

• March 5, 2008: The previous superintendent was appointed to his new position in Perry Township, Marion County, with a base salary of $175,000.

• March 5-12, 2008: The KCS board developed an application, which was reviewed by our school attorney. Officials at the Indiana School Board Association were notified and sent 300 superintendent search brochures. The KCS Web site was updated to reflect the vacancy.

• March 12-May 6, 2008: The KCS board surveyed KCS staff and the community to determine the qualities desired in the next superintendent. Applications were received by the University Team, which was comprised of representatives from Indiana, Purdue, Indiana State and Ball State universities.

• April 17-May 7, 2008: Community forums conducted by the KCS board solicited and gathered community input concerning qualities desired in the next superintendent.

• May 12, 2008: The University Team met with the KCS board and recommended four candidates, who were noted to “fit” Kokomo based on results from the staff and community surveys and community forums.

• May 19-20, 2008: Round 1 of interviews (approximately one hour each) were conducted with each of the four candidates.

• May 23, May 27, June 1, 2008: Round 2 of interviews were conducted with each of the final three candidates.

• June 2, 2008: Mr. Himsel was notified that he is the selection as KCS superintendent pending the results of a background check.

• June 3, 2008: Representatives of the KCS school board conducted a background check, which included traveling to Lafayette and the University of Indianapolis to meet with the superintendent, teachers, parents and supervisors who worked with, and knew, Mr. Himsel.

• June 9, 2008: Mr. Himsel unanimously approved as superintendent at a special Board of School Trustees meeting.

Contract negotiations

• Base salary was set at $135,000. The previous superintendent’s base salary was $126,091. Total amount budgeted for the superintendent’s salary was $153,000. Therefore, a total savings, compared to the original budgeted amount, of $18,000 was reallocated to the General Fund.

• The previous superintendent received automatic salary increases of $6,000 annually. Mr. Himsel requested increases that matched those for other employees in the district.

• One of the reorganization goals for the KCS board is to provide competitive salaries for all staff, including the superintendent. In the fall of 2008, there were 14 school districts in the state of Indiana with enrollments between 6,000 and 7,500 students, including Kokomo-Center Schools with an enrollment of 6,837. The base salaries of superintendents serving these school communities ranged from $117,476 to $189,287 with an average base salary of $146,684. Mr. Himsel’s base salary is below this average and is ranked 11th on the list of 14 similarly sized school districts.

• Previous superintendents at KCS have been provided a car for business and personal use with all expenses paid, including insurance, fuel and maintenance. Mr. Himsel did not accept an automobile and does not accept mileage allowances for travel.

• Mr. Himsel receives the same annuity benefits, professional development allowances and medical physical examination allowances as the previous superintendent.

• Mr. Himsel did not request, nor did he receive, moving expenses or housing allowances, which are standard on many superintendent contracts.

• Mr. Himsel receives the same health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance coverage offered to all Kokomo-Center full-time employees, and he pays the same amount for this coverage as all other Kokomo-Center administrators. The previous superintendent received these benefits at a cost of $1 per year.

• The above letter was signed by all school board members, other than Harold Canady.